Self-aligning bearings, such as spherical roller bearings or spherical outer diameter bearings have been used to correct angular and/or radial misalignment between two bearings located on a common shaft or a bearing located in a fixed machine element. Such bearings are configured to permit slight angular movement, usually a one-time adjustment, static misalignment compensation, typically less than three degrees from parallel, between the axis of the shaft and the outer bearing housing. One such arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 8,398,310 which is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth in order to show the typical misalignment of shafts mounted using self-aligning bearings as known in the art. While such bearings are known to include seals for the primary bearing, which typically includes an inner ring, outer ring and rolling elements located therebetween, typically they cannot maintain lubrication at the interface that allows for misalignment of the primary bearing within the enclosure ring that allows for the dynamic self-alignment. These arrangements typically do not provide adequate protection for the spherical mounting surfaces from contamination or provide a complicated mounting that is too large for many applications. Further, during any misaligning movement of greater than half a degree typically any standard seals provided are insufficient.
It would be desirable to provide a self-aligning bearing that allows for a dynamic misalignment during operation with a sealed insert ball bearing as well as lubrication and sealing of the outer spherical arrangement that allows for the self-aligning features to be realized.